Skip to main content
Add Me To Your Mailing List
HomeEventsNymphing - Tight Line Techniques

Events - Event View

This is the "Event Detail" view, showing all available information for this event. If the event has passed, click the "Event Report" icon to read a report and view photos that were uploaded.
Nymphing - Tight Line Techniques

Date and Time

Saturday, February 15, 2025, 9:00 AM until 10:30 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada) (UTC-08:00)

Location

Encinitas Community Park
425 Santa Fe Drive
Encinitas, CA  92024
USA

Contact(s)

Mark Utter


Don Fithian

Category

Education

Registration Info

Registration has closed - Event is past
Payment In Full In Advance Only

About this event

Nymphing Class – Focus on Tight Line Techniques

Saturday, February 15, 2025, 0900 Encinitas Community Park

The class is expected to last approximately 90 minutes.  Participants should bring a folding/lawn chair and something to take notes with if desired.

As a bonus, Mark will provide a short on the water review during the Bishop trip for class participants.

The cost of the class will be $50 payable upon registration on the GSF web site. 

Questions can be directed to Mark Utter, markdutter@outlook.com, 858-539-9415.

Why Tight Line Nymphing?

  • More control vs other techniques
  • All techniques have their application

 

Equipment

Rod

  • Can use any rod
    • Some prefer fast action rods
  • 10 ft plus helpful
  • Euro/tight line designed rods can be helpful

     

  • Rigging
  • Line
    • My preference is ~ 8lb green mono
  • Sighter
    • My preference is bi-color, ~ 2x/8.5lb, ~ 18”, tippet rings on both ends
  • Leader
    • I usually use total of ~6ft straight 5X flouro
  • One or two flies
    • I usually use two flies
    • First section of leader ~ 4 ft
    • Attach bottom section of ~2 ft with triple surgeon’s knot

 

 

 

Flies

  • Presentation more important than flies
  • Heavier better when learning
  • Guide flies
    • Hot spots

 

Presentation Techniques

 

Covering the water

  • Near to far
  • Shallow to deep
  • Back to front
  • Grid approach
    • 2-3 “good drifts” through one lane/lie then move on

 

Casting

  • Be intentional
    • Look where you want flies to land
  • Crisp casting strokes
  • Finish high
    • Tuck cast
  • Standard cast is one rod length out and two rod lengths upstream

Drift

  • Lead the sighter through one current seam
  • Normally want the bottom fly 6-12” off the bottom
  • Tighter better when learning
    • Heavy flies help
    • Some prefer slight sag in sighter
    • Subtle strikes usually only visual
    • If the sighter behaves differently in any way, SET!
    • “Practice/Learn” drift with very bright flies

    Strike

  • Downstream strike
  • End every drift with a strike to begin next cast

     

    Fighting fish

  • After set, flip rod upstream
  • Butt end of rod 5-10% toward fish for max pressure
  • Lift tip to get line off water if large fish makes long run in heavy water
  • Stay down steam of fish, particularly big fish
  • Keep fish in middle of water column
    • Problems occur at top and bottom of column
  • When fish is ready, lift its head, slide across surface, make an “X” to net

     

    Indicators

  • Indy and flies in same lane
  • Indy should be moving slower than bubble line

     

  • Mend by lifting line first
    • Get as much of line off water as possible
    • Gently roll line without moving indy
  • Other principles the same as tight lining

     

     

     

    Resources

  • Troutbitten.com
  • Tacticalflyfisher.com